How do you handle a conflict between staff members regarding the interpretation of food safety guidelines?

Many kitchens either do not emphasize food safety or express disdain for many of the ordinances (often with a sound understanding of how to prevent food-borne illness). When new cooks come into a kitchen with strict guidelines for cooling, temperature controls, and storage, there can be conflict. When there is a disagreement, we make a point to pull people aside and go over the specifics as the food code reads and impress the importance of and reason for the regulations. There is a particular story I lean on regarding a chef in England who, through improper cooling of shepherd's pie, ended up serving time when a group of elderly folks became ill, and at least one died as a result.

To handle a conflict between staff members regarding the interpretation of food safety guidelines, start by bringing both parties together for a calm discussion. Listen to each perspective to understand the root of the disagreement. Refer to the official food safety guidelines and clarify any misunderstandings. If necessary, consult an expert or refer to authoritative resources to provide accurate information. Reinforce the importance of adhering to these guidelines for the safety of guests and staff. Offer additional training if needed to ensure everyone is on the same page. Encourage open communication and collaboration to prevent future conflicts.

The leaders need to lead by example and constantly train old and new staff members about this key issue that always seems to be a problem but actually shouldn't be. I would definitely listen to both sides and would take the needed time to bring both of them up to speed asking both of them to work together as a team to both be in sync with this. I have helped in hundreds of different restaurants and watch staff neglect the problem instead of correcting the issue, I have always called out the top tier to not become complacent and every single shift keep their staff accountable and continue ongoing training. No matter how small the infraction may be there is an extremely small margin of error before a customer could get sick or even worse.

We always focus on the clear leaders in our kitchens when there are issues with food safety. If they are not following best practices, the rest of the staff will be sure to follow.

Sending cooks to a Proserve course online or in person is a great way to hammer the point home; they take the whole thing more seriously. Investing in training will pay off; there is nothing as bad as a health inspector telling you to toss a 12 quart of pickles because your chef hasn't documented the process and filed for a variance.